


The Intern

by DMichelleWrites



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-26
Updated: 2016-02-08
Packaged: 2018-05-16 08:02:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5820607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DMichelleWrites/pseuds/DMichelleWrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oliver and Felicity Queen are happily married with a sweet two and half year old son, Tommy. They've gotten through many tough times together including the aftermath of Felicity's paralysis. They're now the VP and CEO of Queen Consolidated, but a person Oliver used to know stops by asking for help after five years. How will they handle this one? AU -No Green Arrow or Island.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Story GIFset by somewhatinvisible](http://somewhatinvisible.tumblr.com/post/158963485506/happy-birthday-to-one-of-my-best-friends-in-this)

            The persistent beeping of Felicity’s alarm clock buzzed throughout her and Oliver’s bedroom. Sunlight careened through their white curtains when Oliver’s yawn was met with Felicity’s small tired moan.

            “Hon, it’s too bright and sunny.” Oliver complained after he rubbed the remains of sleep from his eyes, “We need new curtains.”

            Felicity’s teasing remark finished with a breathy giggle, “What are you? A vampire?”

            “No I just—“ Her husband started, but before he could even finish his sentence, Oliver and Felicity heard the heavy uneven padding of steps headed toward their door, which was left slightly ajar.

            “And three, two, one,” The clock changed to 7:05AM. Before she slumped back down under the covers, Felicity whispered, “Honey, come here.”

            Oliver felt the rhythm of his wife’s heartbeat drumming against his bare chest once he pulled her towards him. Felicity’s cold legs were ensnared by Oliver on his right thigh and hip followed by his arm snaking around her back. Their eyes gently fell shut, and their breathing was purposefully made audible for their son’s liking. Two and a half year old, Tommy burst into their room like one of his favorite racecars. Felicity and her husband’s smiles curled into such a soft gentle warmth as their ears first perked up to the squeaky springs on their queen sized bed courtesy of their blonde little jumping bean of a toddler.

            Tommy chanted while he used his parents’ bed like a trampoline, “Wake up, wake up!”

            Felicity and Oliver’s eyes popped open simultaneously. Felicity transferred in her wheelchair while Oliver wrangled their son in for their usual morning hug.

            “Hey Buddy,” His dad reminded, “What did mama and I tell you about jumping on the bed?”

            Tommy thought, “Hmm…”

            “Be careful, monkey. Otherwise you could fall and hurt yourself, okay?” His mom prompted.

            “Okay,” Tommy repeated with a nod for emphasis.

            While Tommy huddled in Felicity’s lap, Oliver asked, “Okay, Tommy, ready for breakfast?”

            “Yeah!” His son answered cheerfully.

            Felicity warned through her clenched teeth after she pressed a kiss to the top of Tommy’s head, “We’re out of pancake mix.”

            “It’s fine,” her husband assured in a hushed whispered, “We still have Cheerios and milk.”

            Felicity exhaled a small sigh of relief, and Tommy slid off her lap. Before her hands gripped the push rims on her wheelchair, Tommy stopped her.

            “I push mama,” he interrupted.

            “Yeah, are you mama’s helper?” His mother asked, although she already knew the answer to that.

            Tommy responded proudly, “Uh-huh. I a big boy.”

            Oliver chuckled softly when he heard Tommy’s struggling grunts. Tommy tried standing on his tippy toes, but it just didn’t work.

            While Oliver boosted his son up a bit, “Need some help there, big boy?”

            Tommy nodded. He and Oliver pushed Felicity’s wheelchair to her chairlift. Felicity let out a breathy giggle since her son decided to add his own sound effects of a racecar.

            After Oliver unfolded the seat, and Felicity lifted herself in it, their son pleaded, “I do it mama.”

            Felicity passed her son the wireless remote while Oliver carried her wheelchair downstairs.

            When the chairlift emitted a quick high-pitched beep at the bottom of the stairs, his mother mentioned, “Thank you, Buddy. Now go wash up for breakfast.”

            “Okay, mama” He replied as he scurried off to get his stepstool, then wondered, “Dadda, is Will comin’?”

            His father responded, “Nope. Your brother’s coming by on Saturday after his baseball game.”

            Initially, when Oliver found out his college girlfriend Samantha was pregnant. Shock definitely crossed their minds, especially considering they decided they needed a clean break. Despite Moira’s two million dollar offer to abort the unplanned pregnancy, neither Samantha nor Oliver budged. This was their baby. Despite the fact that their romantic relationship fizzled, they still agreed to be friends and co-parent William. Once Samantha moved to Central City, she used half of Moira’s offer to purchase a nice home close to her photography job at _Picture News._ That was when she and Oliver drafted a quick, but fair custody agreement. Unfortunately, the decision to keep William created an even bigger rift between Oliver and his parents. Robert and Moira divorced after he caught wind of her affair with Malcolm Merlyn. To this day, his mother was living alone at Queen manor, and Oliver figured that Robert was off gallivanting in Corto Maltese with Isabel Rochev and several other young women more than half his age.

            “Hon, you okay?” His wife inquired as she poured some milk in Tommy’s _Star Wars_ Yoda cup.

            “Yeah. I’m fine.” Oliver smiled, and Felicity felt a pair of moist lips on her cheek in reassurance.

            Tommy grimaced with a mouthful of chewed of Cheerios and bananas. He managed to sputter out a “Yuck!”

            “Brush your teeth please,” Felicity’s instruction was laced with a bright smile, “I’ll help you floss in a couple minutes.”

            Oliver continued, “Then try to go get dressed. Mama and I will get ready for work, and we’ll drop you off to preschool.”

            “Sara, yay!” Tommy commented when he trampled off to the bathroom.

            Sara was the daughter of Oliver and Felicity’s friends and bodyguards, who were also married, John Diggle and Lyla Michaels. Sara was a year and a half older than Tommy, and she was in kindergarten. But, the age difference didn’t stop him from trying to give her flowers and sometimes an occasional clump of grass and dirt from the play yard. He really wanted to play hide and seek with her. Everyone quickly got ready to go, and they dropped Tommy off to Mrs. Melinda Russo’s class before the bell chimed at 8:10AM.

            Oliver and Felicity made a quick stop at Star City’s Jitters to grab a couple javas and breakfast for the road before their ten o’clock meeting at Queen Consolidated.

            “Hey Charlie,” Felicity greeted. “Usual?”

            “Sure Felicity,” Charlie called out, “Tami, tall coffee with cream and sugar, venti coffee black with a poppy seed bagel and a banana nut muffin.”

            Charlie swiped Oliver’s black credit card while Tami was fetching their order. The Queens both said thank you. Felicity shoved the food in the black purse in her lap, and Oliver pushed the left side of her wheelchair as they sipped their drinks and left the coffee shop.

            Oliver clicked his tongue, “Mmm This one’s yours. Sorry, Baby.”

            Felicity switched their cups in the center console, and right before they drove off to work, she could feel her husband’s gaze on her. She smirked into her cup and peered over it right before the warm liquid flooded her mouthr.

            “Honey,” His wife pointed out, “This is me noticing you staring.”

            Oliver couldn’t help his boyish grin, complete with the indents of his dimples.

            “That dress. Well it’s…I mean you look nice,” Her husband tried to say.

            “Usually, I’m the one babbling away,” She reminded, “Are you meant just nice, Mr. Queen?”

            He corrected, “Well, actually Mrs. Queen, I think you look drop dead gorgeous.”

            Oliver wasn’t just saying that. Felicity had on this purple dress with a perfectly placed, yet appropriate cutout underneath Oliver’s black suit jacket with matching charcoal Mary Jane heels. From the look in her eyes, Felicity felt the same way about her husband in a suit and tie. The blue tie brought out his bright blue eyes. The white button up strained against his muscles, and no man could go wrong in a tailored, well-fitted classic black suit. Their looks screamed power couple, but more importantly so did their work ethic.

            Oliver parked in their designated spot at QC. This was a very important meeting because it finally meant that Oliver and Felicity could buy out Robert and Isabel’s last shares of the company. Oliver’s hand trembled slightly in search of Felicity’s grasp. His eyebrows furrowed, and it was like in that very moment he felt the weight of the entire company on his shoulders.

            “Hey, we’re in this together,” Felicity assured. The run of her supple palm against his cheek calmed him down a bit, “You and I are going to go in there and wow them. The company will officially be all ours, and with Curtis’ plan we won’t have to downsize the company.”

            “Okay,” Oliver breathed out. He could hear the tremors in his voice, so he cleared his throat, “I know how you hate firing people.”

            She nodded while her teeth pinched her bottom lip. Oliver’s hand rested upon Felicity’s shoulder, and she immediately blanketed his hand with hers. Felicity’s eyebrows crinkled as they were making their way up to the eighteenth floor.

            Felicity uttered out rather unconvincingly, “We’ve got this.”

            Now it was Oliver’s turn to comfort her.

            “Hey,” His tone was soft and sweet. It was a tone that he really only used around Felicity, Tommy, and Thea. “We’ll be fine.”

            When the elevator doors dinged, and they flew open, both Oliver and Felicity exhaled in two big deep breaths. It was as if they were trying to expel their anxious energy from their lungs. Felicity wiped the red stain that coated Oliver’s lips from her makeup while he wiped the uneven smears from around her mouth with the hanky in his suit jacket. Surprisingly, it went their way. Robert and Isabel had rescinded their final bids for the company, and relinquished their final shares.

            She stammered, “Did that…Did we…Okay, what just happened back there?”

            “I don’t know,” He stated. “But, it worked in our favor.”

            Felicity’s assistant Fanta tried to catch her and Oliver before they entered their shared off, “Mrs. Queen…”

            “Mr. Queen,” Oliver’s assistant Jerry chimed in as well while he walked briskly behind them.

            Fanta informed, “You two have a visitor.”

            “Would you like us to call security?” Jerry questioned.

            Felicity wondered followed by her lips pursing slightly, “What? Why?”

            “Hello Oliver,” Robert announced as he turned the chair across from Felicity’s desk.

            Oliver gruffed, yet he politely shook his father’s hand, “Dad?”

            “It’s been quite a long time,” His father figured.

            Felicity muttered under her breath, “Try five years.”

            “Hon,” Oliver whispered, then addressed his father, “What are you doing here?”

            “Isabel left me, son. And, for some posh artist, who goes by the name Clyde Rainer. I’ve seen the business reports, you and your wife have brought back Queen Consolidated from Hell. That harlot took nearly everything from me, and I’m not asking for much, but I am asking for an internship. Well, a paid internship, so I could get back on my feet,” Robert informed regretfully.

            Oliver immediately shot out a “No. It’s favoritism.”

            “Mmm, technically it’s nepotism,” Felicity corrected.

            Robert wondered, “What do you say, Felicity? You’re his boss.”

            Technically, yes because there was a brief amount of time Queen Consolidated was known as Palmer Tech named aptly after Dt. Ray Palmer, who was Felicity’s ex-boyfriend. He had signed the company over to her in his absence. Ray had a drive to do something greater with his life when his fiancé passed after a brutal attack from her former bosses Damien Darhk and Damien’s wife Ruve Adams. It was a similar attack that left Felicity paralyzed. After the attack, Oliver and Felicity were married, and reluctantly Oliver agreed to rejoin Queen Consolidated as the Vice President. They crossed the t’s and dotted the I’s on even before Felicity Smoak changed her name to Felicity Queen. But there was no power struggle between Oliver and Felicity because they were a team in marriage, parenthood, and their business.

            “N..“ It was the only syllable Oliver could get out in edgewise.

            Felicity hadn’t spent much time getting to know Robert, but there was something about the glimmer of hope and desperation that shined in the Queen patriarch’s eyes. Her hatred simmered back down in her stomach.

            Her speech was full of breaks when she hesitantly suggested, “Why don’t you…give us a day to think about this, Robert?”

            Oliver’s eyes widened incredulously because what? What? Was she really considering this idea? His view was directed toward his wife, but she narrowed her eyes at him in response. Oliver’s hand combed through his spiky blonde locks. He could sense Felicity’s eyes pleading with him. Their hands intertwined again like they were each others’ missing puzzle pieces reunited once more.

            Oliver relented through his gritted teeth, “Fine. Felicity and I will discuss it, and get back to you tomorrow, Dad.”

            “Alright then,” Robert spoke softly, “I’m staying at the fourth four of the Adams house on Haight Street. I’m renting room 408, just in case you two and my grandsons ever want to stop by.”

            The only sound that was heard was Robert’s black dress shoes tapping against the dark hardwood floor.

            As soon as Robert left, his wife began the conversation, “Oliver, it sounds like he really needs this.”

            “I know,” Oliver countered, “But, you don’t know my father like I do, Felicity.”

            Felicity continued, “So, enlighten me. I know you said he cared more about the money than the company, but I can’t help but think that…”

            “No, he hasn’t changed. He’s going to use the new knowledge he gains here to take back control of the company. Then hundreds of people will be out of the job, and he’ll be back in Corto Maltese spending our company’s money,” her husband interrupted in protest.

            She insisted, “Oliver, you don’t know that for sure. Can we at least give your dad a chance? Call it a trial run? Please?”

            “Leopards don’t change their spots in five years or at all,” He argued.

            His wife continued, “But, people do, Oliver. Please, let’s just try this.”

            “Fine,” Oliver sighed in defeat, but warned, “My dad being back my life only extends to here at QC. The boys are well-adjusted, and I don’t want them getting sucked into the orbit that is Robert Queen. And, I don’t want squeezing his way into your good graces, I couldn’t stand the thought of you getting hurt by him.”

            “Hey. I’ll have you know I’m very smart and bad ass,” Felicity pointed herself.

            Oliver conceded with a laugh, “I’ve never doubted that, Hon.”

            “Honey when we get home, I’ll make your favorite dinner, and we’ll watch your favorite movie.” She told her husband since she wanted to apologize for making him go all grumpy/angry face.

            Oliver’s favorite movie was _Shawshank Redemption_ and his favorite dinner was a simple chicken cordon bleu. His eyes squeezed shut at Felicity’s last cooking attempt. Thankfully, Oliver got Tommy and Felicity out of the kitchen in time before he smothered that grease fire.

            Her husband offered instead, “Or, after you and I put Tommy to bed, we order a chicken marguerite pizza with a beer for me, some wine for you, and we’ll have a _House of Cards_ and _Scandal_ marathon.”

            “With licorice?” Felicity hoped as the smile was clearly evident all over her face from her eyes down to her lips.

            He promised, “Of course. How could I forget my wife’s favorite candy?”

            She nodded in agreement. Later that night, once Tommy was fast asleep, probably dreaming of really cool trains, trucks, and cars, his mama and daddy got their Friday date night in started. After Felicity slipped into a rather revealing red and black negligee, she lit some scented candles in hopes that it was overpower the delicious, yet strong and wafting aroma of pizza grease and pesto sauce. Oliver responded by stripping down to nothing but his gray boxers after a grabbed a small cold metal bucketful of ice nestled with his beer and Felicity’s wife. He also made sure to snag that stout glass jar of red licorice from the pantry before he walked back to their bedroom.

            “Hey stranger,” His wife commented while trying to strike a sexy pose on their bed after she cued up _House of Cards_ on her laptop. “See something you like?”

            Oliver’s breath tickled her ear, “I definitely do, but I could ask you the same question.”

            She groaned in frustration, “Must you always be a yummy distraction for our plans. I bet this is why you installed a salmon ladder in our office.”

            “A) I know you like watching me do that,” Her husband figured, then teased followed by a chuckle. "B) Yummy? You’ve been spending way too much time with Thea, my friend.”

            “Just come here,” Felicity huffed as she patted his side of the bed.

            Oliver flopped on top of the sheets, and as soon as he was next to her. Felicity and Oliver snuggled up together like two gummy bears on a hot summer day. They watched a couple hours of their favorite show. Their hands trailed over each others’ bare skin, and their lips peppered random kisses on their sweet spots in between eating pizza and drinking alcohol. Towards, the end of the night, Felicity decided to have one last nibble of licorice. She threaded the candy between her lips, leaving the other end for Oliver. The look in her eyes read, “Want some?”

            He asked, “I’ll be Tramp if you’ll be Lady.”

            They copied the famous scene from that classic Disney movie as they chewed the licorice down until their lips met for one big passionate kiss. Their lips danced against each other. Oliver’s body blanketed hers until their warm bare skin collided against each other. He groaned lowly. Felicity bit back a moan when Oliver kissed and nipped her pulse point. The bed creaked, which contrasted the wet sounds of their French kiss. And the crackles of the flickering candles weren’t the only sounds in their bedroom. Robert as an intern would difficult, but in this moment all they felt was the love they had for each other. Nothing worthwhile ever came easy for Oliver and Felicity, but they would get through the tough times together.


	2. Chapter 2

            “Felicity, it’s Saturday,” Oliver explained.

            “I’m aware of that, Oliver,” Felicity reminded, “But, we did tell your father we’d let him by the next day.”

            “And, what exactly do you have on planning my father doing at QC?” Her husband prompted, “We already have both Jerry and Fanta as our EA’s.”

            She replied sheepishly as she rubbed her neck, “Curtis said he needed some extra help in the IT department.”

            “My dad’s probably worse with technology than I am,” he informed with a scoff.

            His wife grumbled lowly under her breath, “And, that’s saying something.”

            “Hey,” Oliver pointed out, “I’m standing right behind you.”

            Felicity felt her husband’s strong hands grip over her shoulders. His fingers feathered over the sides of her neck. Her paralysis only affected her from the waist down. She couldn’t quite describe, but paralysis made her feel very floaty. That sensation would sound more ethereal if it didn’t come with constant sore arm muscles, neck pain, upper back spasms, a knotty neck, tight shoulders and more. She also hated having to insert the tubes of her catheter at night before she drifted off to dreamland. But, Oliver was never grossed out by it. Everybody had to go sometime, and this was just part of the process.

            “Oliver,” Felicity warned. Her tone was laced with a comforted, breathy moan, “Don’t.”

            Another issue that stemmed from Felicity's paralysis was the fact that she couldn’t orgasm anymore. But that didn’t mean Felicity didn’t enjoy sex anymore. She and Oliver still had this loving, sweet, emotional, and passionate connection. Plus, with some internet research and some information from her doctor, Oliver and Felicity rediscovered her body, and they figured out other ways to make it mind-blowingly physically pleasurable for her. And, he definitely fulfilled that promise last night. But, he also knew his wife and her body almost better than Felicity herself. Oliver knew just where to go to find those sweet, heightened sensitive spots on his wife’s body that made her melt in his touch. He confidently smirked after he heard her moan. Her eyes squeezed shut when he kneaded over some tense spots on her neck.

            “Felicity,” He whispered as he drew out her name.

            She rolled out n “Hmm,” from low in the depths of her throat.

            “Are you sure you aren’t in the mood for something else?” Her husband wondered as his hands continued to work over her body

            “Nice try, mister.” Felicity realized as her eyes fluttered open. “But, we did that last night.”

            Oliver reminded as he held up two fingers for emphasis, “Twice.”

            “Keep bragging, Oliver, and I can guarantee the only sounds you’ll hear from me is page flipping while you spend your nights with bottles of hand sanitizer and lotion.” His wife claimed.

            He cursed in a grumbling huff, “Damn it.”

            She giggled. It was cliché, but Oliver thought she needed to be petting their cat, Walter right now because that woman was being deliciously evil. Although, she was from Vegas, so Felicity knew how to play cards, and she just yanked away one of the best ones.

            “We need to call your father,” she insisted, “ _now_ , Oliver.”

            Oliver’s eyebrows furrowed, and his forehead wrinkled as it resembled an old metal washboard.

            Her husband inquired, “How did you even find his phone number?”

            Her face cracked up in this big cheeky grin.

            “Well, when you and I met I did start out in the IT department,” Felicity recapped.

            Oliver figured out, “Felicity, you hacked the Adams House directory.”

            “Is that judgement I’m hearing, Oliver?” She quizzed before she folded her hands in her lap.

            “Pride,” Her husband answered abruptly before he pressed a kiss on her dark roots, “But, I just don’t see the point of all this.”

            She spun her wheelchair around to face before she lifted her arms like, similar to their toddler whenever he was tired of walking. Oliver hoisted Felicity up on the marble countertop. His arms rested on her as they remained looped right underneath her chest. He stood against the lower cupboard, nestled between his wife’s legs. Her hands burned a trail up his torso slowly before he felt the cold metal of her rings graze the base of his neck. Clearly, he didn’t want to hear this right now when his eyes squinted as if he was trying to read an imaginary sign on the upper cabinet door.

            “Oliver, look at me.” Felicity started, and at that request his blue eyes found hers, “I’m not asking you to amends with your father.”

            Oliver began to argue. His voice usually meek and slightly higher than usual, “Well…”

            She promised, “Honey, I’m only asking that you to give a guy down on his luck an internship.”

            “My dad insisted on a _paid_ internship,” He remembered.

            “I know,” His wife stated with a nod, “It’s just a trial run. We’ll see how he does for a week. Robert will report to Curtis, and then we’ll negotiate his salary together, based on Curts’ feel for him.”

            “Hon,” her husband grimaced.

            She sighed, “Sorry. I’ll call. You talk”

            Oliver’s eyes narrowed at Felicity, but she just pointed to the ringing phone in the kitchen.

            “Dad,” Oliver announced. Felicity could feel the tightness of his chest, and her ears became acutely aware to his weathered tone, “You have the job. You start Monday.”

            After Felicity and Oliver reiterated their exact expectations and conditions, Robert cleared his throat, and replied, “Alright. Thank you, Felicity, and son thank you as well. Please let me know if you all want to get together—“

            “Um…Maybe,” Felicity interrupted.

            Oliver’s finger abruptly plummeted down to the “END CALL” button after he gruffed out a “Bye Dad.”

            “Just so you know, I was going to tell him, 'maybe not right now.'” His wife informed, finally able to finish her sentence.

            Oliver’s expression fell into mopey face, so Felicity leaned up against and pressed a kiss to the tattoo on his chest with kids’ initials in Cyrillic.

            Oliver told her, “This isn’t going to be easy for me, Felicity, but since it’s you asking, I’ll do it because I love you.”

            “I love you too, Oliver.” She reminded with a peck on his lips. She needed to take his mind off it, “Hey, why don’t we all grab some lunch near the farmer’s market? And, then we can take Will and Tommy to the park.”

            “Sounds good,” He smiled before he called out to his sons out back, “Will, I want you and your brother to come in the house place.

            Oliver and Felicity heard the sliding glass door open while cold air nipped at their bare arms.

            “Uh-oh, am I trouble?” Will panted with his baby brother hugging him like a sleepy koala.

            “Ooh Bad boy,” Tommy accused as he wagged his finger at Will.

            Felicity assured, “No, no one is in trouble.”

            “Wait? Should he be?” Oliver pondered before the very serious gaze in his eyes startled his son.

            Will stammered, “No. I don’t know. Aww man!”

            “No one is in trouble, Will,” His stepmother repeated, and she swatted her husband’s chest in response as she sniped, “Oliver.”

            “We just want to grab some lunch, and Felicity thought you two might want to go the park.” His dad reassured.

            “Yeah park!” Tommy said happily after sliding out from under William’s arm, “Let’s go, brother.”

            His parents both laughed. Tommy’s pronunciation of brother sounded more like “brudder” and he ran off to his room all the while pulling Will by his shirt.

            Will wondered, “Dad, can I bring my catcher’s mitt please?”

            “Sure, Buddy,” His dad replied.

            Felicity huffed out a small laugh since Oliver was already rubbing his shoulder. Will had a great pitch, but he needed some work on catching the ball. Luckily, Oliver had good aim. It was a given, considering he loved archery, baseball, basketball, mixed martial arts, and boxing. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Felicity didn’t have a clue about sports with the exceptions of the fact that any sport could be boiled down to geometry, physics, heart, skill, and know-how. She also occasionally picked up on a few players’ names as well with a house full of boys, it was expected.

            “Mama, I wan; Wookie.” Tommy yelled. His voice bounced off from the confines of his toy box.

            His mom answered, “Okay, Bud, but you keep an eye on him.”

            “That’s right or he can’t help Luke fend off the stormtroopers,” Oliver added.

            “You’re adorable when you say things like that,” His wife commented, “We have to feed Walter before we go.”

            Felicity plopped back down into her wheelchair while Oliver opened Walter’s cat food. Water sloshed in one bowl as Oliver reminded her to bring a Tommy’s Pull-ups, just in case. The ramp whirred out, and Felicity wheeled up to the driver’s side. She pressed the hand controls, and off they went for family time.

            He complained, “Aww man! I forgot Starling Park’s so close to the Adams House.”

            “We’ll be fine,” Felicity promised in a hushed tone, “It’s not like your dad’s go to head out of there and surprise us.”

            “You still have a dad? Mom thought he died five years ago.” William quizzically asked his own dad.

            Oliver flashed back to the night the Queens’ Gambit went down in the ocean after a horrible storm. Many families were very fortunate to have survived that night, including his. Moira and Thea made it to safety thanks to Walter Steele’s quick thinking to grab the biggest lifeboat they had on board. The Lances weren’t so lucky, Sara was able to save Quentin, but not Laurel. Every night since, Quentin wishes it would’ve been him instead of his little girl. His best friend Tommy died as well since he tried to be the hero and save Laurel as well. They were the loves of each others’ lives. Oliver, Felicity, and Samantha all managed to find each other and get in the last lifeboat, but those actions weren’t without consequence. Samantha and Felicity had matching scars on their shoulders, but Oliver got the worst of it. He was bitten by a shark, and had more minor scars from the coral reef, ragged driftwood, and the harsh elements of ocean and storm. He was lucky to have survived that night. His father was missing for weeks, but they found him being nursed back to help in a local clinic off the coast of Corto Maltese.

            His father responded stoically, “It’s complicated, William.”

            Oliver’s negative memory was pushed aside when he heard nails gently scurry up to his collar. Felicity pulled him down for a kiss.

            “Eww!” The boys whined in unison.

            She waved them off playfully, “Okay, who wants lunch?”

            The Queens each ate platefuls of grilled chicken with sautéed kale and fresh diced tomatoes over pita bread. A half hour later, they crossed the street to go over to the park. Oliver and Will played catch while Felicity and Tommy were playing “I spy” in the grass. Tommy was laughing at his mama when she squeaked at the sight of a tiny spider hanging down from a tree.

            “I got it, Felicity,” Will offered as he squished the little arachnid in between his thumb and index finger. He jogged over to the restroom quickly when Oliver smoothed out the edges of the picnic

            “Hon, what’cha reading?” Oliver wondered

            Felicity replied, “Mindy Kaling’s latest book.”

            When William came back from the restroom. Something felt off, Oliver could just feel it in his bones, and by the way Felicity huddled Tommy and Will closer to her, she could sense it too. The hair bristled at the back of Oliver’s neck, and Felicity twisted the rings on her finger. Someone was watching them.

            “Stay here,” He ordered everyone.

            Oliver trudged his way over to a park bench. He spotted an older man in a brown trench coat, and hat. He was thumbing through a leather bound notebook after he appeared to be jotting a few notes down in it.

            The man cleared his throat, “I was wondering when you were going to get here son.”

            “Stay away from them, Dad.” Oliver grunted.

            “You’d really deny your own father the chance to get to know his grandchildren,” Robert interjected.

            Oliver responded. His tone was boggled down with anger and hatred, “You lost that chance when you and Mom cut me off after finding out about William.”

            “I know I’ve done things wrong, son.” Robert pleaded, “But, give me the chance to right my wrongs.”

            “For the record, you weren’t much of a father when you shoved Thea and me off to Raisa. And, the only reason you even have the possibility of a job back at Queen Consolidated is because my wife actually believes someone even as screwed up as you can change,” Oliver pointed out.

            “She’s a smart girl, your Felicity. She and that Dr. Palmer fellow got QC out the red.” He complimented.

            Oliver warned, “Stay away from my sons. Your business, our relationship, and your relationship with my wife remains solely at QC.”

            “Son, wait—“ Robert protested, yet it was no use. Oliver was already heading back over to Felicity and the boys.

            Felicity mused, “Uh-oh, you have angry face.”

            “We’ll talk about it when we get home,” He told as his expression melded into a happy smile for Tommy and Will.

            After Will and Tommy were asleep later that night, Oliver sighed, “It’s amazing with just one look at the two of them, safe, happy, and healthy. Everything can just melt away.”

            “And, what’s melting away tonight, Oliver?” She prodded.

            Oliver was just going to sit down on the couch, but he let out a resounding “oof” after the wind was knocked out of him. The warmth from Felicity’s body chipped away even more at the ice cold tension that Oliver had bottled up inside of him.

            Her husband finally answered, “My father.”

            “So that was him at the park?” Felicity recalled.

            “Yes.” He said, emphasized with a nod.

            His wife requested, “Tell me everything, Honey.”

            And, he did, even though Oliver had told Felicity some of those stories before, it felt good to let that all go again.

            “Felicity, he didn’t even come to our wedding,” Oliver complained.

            She rationalized, “Well, at least he didn’t yell at you for marrying a bleached blonde awkward paralyzed girl, and try to snatch the engagement ring right off my finger, like your mother.”

            “She was drunk, but she’s another one. My parents never really loved each other, so they can’t see why I love you more than myself or the company,” He explained.

            She smiled, and started to say, “Maybe one day, he’ll get lucky, and when he’s eighteen floors below, he’ll meet a cute IT Tech girl.”

            “Fall in love with the minute they meet, even though he knows she’s with another man,” Oliver continued.

            “He’ll send her favorite red roses as a thank you for fixing his laptop after he spilled a latte on it,” Felicity remembered.

            “Then she dumps the doctor. They have their first date at an Italian restaurant. They get married. She gets pregnant, and they’ll live happily ever after in the suburbs” Her husband added.

            She giggles at that, “You skipped a few steps in between there, mister.”

            “I know, but it’s late, so let’s up head up to bed.”

            Felicity leaned over to reach her wheelchair, but emitted a girly squeal when Oliver picked her bridal style up the stairs. As soon as their heads hit the pillow the spoon surrounded by warm sheets, the moonlit glow, and each other. That was just what made Oliver deliriously happy.


	3. Chapter 3

            Nails tapped away at the keyboard as they broke the peaceful quiet of the night in the Queen home. Felicity was flipping through a short stack of QC’s quarterly reports while Oliver was revising speech for Queen Consolidated's latest venture with Wayne Enterprises. That was going to be a major press day for the two companies. _Starling City Journal_ and Central City's  _Picture News_ were going to be there. Felicity exhaled. Sure enough, her calming sigh followed by an abrupt beep and Oliver's angry grunt.

            “Felicity.” That was all Oliver had to ask.

            She peered over her glasses, “Did you save your work as you went?”

            “Yeah,” he uttered softly.

            Felicity continued, “And did you save the document to web storage?”

            “And the external hard drive you got me and the flash drive,” Her husband remembered.

            His wife was definitely a firm believer in having a multitude of backups. Oliver’s fingers rubbed over his pulsating temple while Felicity pressed a button and started doing the amazing things she does behind a keyboard.

            His wife informed, “You just need to let it reboot and charge it for a couple hours. I managed to recover the file.”

            “You’re amazing,” He smiled, “How could I ever do this without you?”

            “Oliver,” Felicity commented with a slight grin. Her cheeks warmed to the slightest pink flush.

            Oliver groaned, “We really need to stop breaking our own rules.”

            “About how we’re not supposed to be bringing work home with us?” She replied.

            Oliver nodded, and thought, “My father didn’t give Curtis any problems, did he?”

            “Well,” Felicity hesitated while her lips pursed slightly, “Um…About that.”

            Her husband pressed, “Felicity, what did he screw up?”

            “Curtis’ T-Spheres,” She answered rapidly in a breath, “He accidentally knocked over his espresso on them. But, not to worry, that was just the testing model. Curtis has the actual ones under lock and key in the basement of QC.”

            Oliver pointed out, “First, he shows up late to work, and now he nearly wrecks a project that took Curtis six months to build from the schematics to product. That could’ve costed us six months of wasted time and work with a two million dollar loss.”

            “But it didn’t,” Felicity soothed while she reached out for his hand. “You can’t let him get to you. We agreed…”

            “On one week,” Oliver finished, “But, one more strike, and he’s out.”

            “You got it ump,” She huffed a laugh.

            Her husband teased, “Oh, so you do pay attention when the Will, Tommy, and I watch the baseball game, huh?”

            “Some sports info manages to penetrate in my brain every once awhile. I mean with three boys in the house every weekend, it’s bound to stick sometimes,” his wife figured.

            Oliver let a loud yawn before he tried to shake away this pounding headache. As the clock struck 12:30 at night he told his wife, “We need to get you up to bed. It’s getting late.”

            “I was just about to tell you the same thing.” Felicity mused as she pulled him toward the stairs, “C’mon Oliver. Let’s go.”

            “No. I have to finish my speech,” he argued when he attempted to fight the pull of his tired body like Thea’s boyfriend in a sparring match.

            “Your speech for the conference doesn’t have be done until Friday,” His wife added, “And, it’s only Monday.”

            “Well, Tuesday,” Oliver corrected after he looked up at the clock.

            Felicity insisted sharply, “Oliver, bed now.”

            “Yes, Mrs. Queen,” he teased in a whisper, “You’re the boss.”

            Yes she was, technically according to the paperwork at Queen Consolidated. But, like their marriage, their business partnership was all about equal shares of the workload.

            When Felicity got on her chairlift she grunted, “You just like working under me.”

            Oliver laughed. She lightly smack before she whispered a simple three, two, one countdown followed by a calming breath.

            “I like working over you too,” he breathed.

            “Mmm…” Felicity bit back a moan, even though it was hidden by the whir of her chairlift, “Oliver, promise me.”

            Felicity hated seeing how much Robert got under Oliver’s skin. That bottled up frustration wasn’t good for his stress level, and it wouldn’t reflect well on QC either. But, Oliver was her main concern. She knew Robert was, well, a lot of things. And, she certainly wouldn’t expect these two stubborn Queen men to resolve their issues. But, maybe, just maybe these baby steps would lead to better times.

            “I promise. Husband’s honor,” Oliver emphasized with a raise of his left hand, “I will be on my best behavior.”

            His wife prompted as Oliver scooped her up bridal style, “And?”

            “And, I’ll treat my father like any other employee,” He gruffed out a defeated grumble, “No matter how much of a dick he is,”

            She warned, “Honey.”

            “Fine. No more talking about work.” Oliver suggested, “C’mere. Let’s just go to sleep.”

            Oliver felt his wife’s soft wavy blonde locks tickle at a scar under his chest. The wet peck on her forehead was met with Felicity’s delicate breaths lightly thumping against him. He slowly stared up blankly at the ceiling until he was entranced by quite a dream.

            By morning the Queens went through their usual daily routine. They had just dropped off Tommy to preschool and got breakfast at Jitters. They sat in a comfortable silence until Felicity remembered what she meant to ask Oliver earlier in the morning.

            “Hey what kind of dream were you having last night? You murmured ‘Don’t move,’ and ‘hold onto tight, Felicity.'” She wondered.

            He answered honestly, “I was a super hero, and we were tracking down some dude named Sebastian Blood. I was covered in head to toe green leather.”

            Oliver expected her to laugh, but Felicity didn’t. Instead she inquired, “Kinda hot. Did we get to have really cool code names like the emerald archer and hot wheels?”

            “Actually, we were the Green Arrow and Overwatch,” Oliver replied.

            Felicity quizzed, “Did we save the day from this big bad Sebastian Blood guy?”

            “Of course, nothing can beat us, we’re a team. But we did have to escape out of the window on the eighteenth floor of QC.” He informed.

            “Could you imagine super hero work as something we could consider normal?” His wife pondered, “Although, it _does_ sound pretty bad ass.”

            Her husband agreed, “It does, but I like our life because I have two of the greatest sons and the smartest most bad ass wife there is.”

            “Aww, you think being cute is going to distract me from work?” She cooed before she pressed her lips to Oliver’s free hand, which was resting on the center console. “I remember we still have a meeting that includes Curtis and your father.”

            Oliver muttered, “Mission almost accomplished.”

            “Nice try though,” Felicity consoled while she gently patted his thigh.

            Oliver and Felicity were met with brilliant blue skies when they entered their office on the eighteen floor of Queen Consolidated. Curtis had mentioned that he was going to be running a bit late since he had to drop off his husband Paul to work this morning. Oliver was twiddling his fingers and he also kept fidgeting with his blue tie.

            After he cleared his dry throat, he managed to tell Felicity, “You look nice.”

            “And, you look great,” she continued to finish their quick round of compliment tennis.

            Curtis walked down the hallway to the Queens’ shared office with the T-Spheres and Robert in tow.

            “Son,” Robert started with a heavy heaving breath while he practically doubled over on the floor, “You failed to mention your employee here was a former Olympic athlete and decathlon runner.”

            “Curtis, did you and Robert walk up eighteen flights of stairs?” His boss asked incredulously.

            Felicity knew Curtis liked to exercise in order to keep his sleek, long, and lean Olympic physique, but she never expected Robert to follow suit. After all, they had several elevators. It was all order for Robert to redeem himself from yesterday’s couple of mishaps, she supposed.

            “I showed Mr. Queen where the elevators were, but he decided to tag along,” Curtis explained with a shoulder shrug.

            Robert caught his breath, “Just demonstrating I could still keep up with the younger crowd, Mr. Holt.”

            Oliver began, “So, what do you have for us Curtis?”

            The lights were dimmed, and Robert diligently pulled down the screen for Curtis’ Powerpoint. Robert even fetched Curtis his laser point pen. Oliver purposefully coughed because he figured his father was putting on the perfect façade as Curtis’ helpful little errand boy of an intern.

            “I suggested Mr. Holt do one of these Powerpoint presentations,” Robert whispered to Felicity just before Curtis began his presentation for T-Spheres, “You can teach an old dog new tricks.”

            Felicity's face radiated with this warm smile, which was contrasted with her husband’s exasperated sigh. She lightly swatted Oliver’s chest.

            Curtis interjected before there was a marital spat between his bosses, “May I begin now?”

            “Please,” Felicity prompted with an accentuated wave of her hand.

            Curtis began with a bit of the development process before he delved into what these T-Spheres could really do. These astonishing devices could be used in multiple ways, which would really help out the Star City and Gotham's Police Departments. A laser grid could be formed between two T-Spheres. They could create holograms, record audio and visual situations, and they had sensors. They could link to computers and data easily. They could also be used as projectile weapons and bombs. Oliver and Felicity were clearly impressed, evident by the smiles plastered on their faces and subtle hushed murmurs of positive feedback between them.

            Despite Robert’s urgent waves of no’s, Curtis warned, “Just so you both know there is one small glitch when I tried to take it on a flight test.”

            “Boy, you want to impress the bosses, you don’t mention the failures.” Robert advised with a politician like smile.

            Typical, Oliver knew his father was all business. But, unlike his father, he and Felicity ran Queen Consolidated with heart and not greed. They needed to think about the customers’ welfare. They thought about their employees’ paychecks, and they still managed to keep QC out the red. They had Felicity’s brilliant mind coupled with Oliver’s unwavering passion for his family company and all of its employees. Oliver and Felicity also had business savvy brains of Jerry and Fanta as their EA’s. Similar to their parenting style at home, they were tough when the situation called for it, but they were also fair.

            Robert was starting to rant at Curtis since he thought Curtis mishandled the presentation at the last minute.

            “Robert,” Felicity spoke up a bit louder than she had intended, “That’s enough. You are not his boss. Those jobs are Oliver's and mine.”

            Robert immediately zipped his lips.

            Oliver injected as he wanted to break the brisk quiet that fell upon the room, “Curtis, what went wrong during the flight test?”

            “Well,” Curtis tinkered with the settings of the T-Spheres, “Right now it hovers, but it doesn’t fly.

            “Hmm, have you tried recalibrating the settings like this?” Felicity pondered.

            Felicity simply twisted the T symbol on the sphere and pushed a button with one final twist on the sphere in adjustment. Curtis tried it again, and it flew. Oliver chuckled because he knew how remarkable and resourceful he wife was, especially when it came to technology. She had attempted to convert all her father’s computers into one super computer at the mere age of seven years old. Curtis’ cheer was echoed by Robert’s gasp and slack jaw of his daughter-in-law’s genius.

            “Felicity, you’re remarkable.” Robert told her, then directed the conversation at his son, “Oliver, I was wrong. You hold onto her.”

            Curtis suggested while he led Robert out of the office, “Why don’t we work on those flight adjustments now, and give them the room?”

            “Dinner?” Robert’s request traveled down the empty hallway of QC.

            Felicity eyebrows crinkled, so Oliver answered no for the both of them. They just weren’t there yet in the slightest. Felicity’s lips faltered into a frown. Upon seeing her genius, so now Robert thought she was good enough for his son? When they had met for the first time seven years ago, Robert was livid about his son dating an employee from their IT tech department. After they announced their engaged during the Hanukkah/Christmas winter break, Robert didn’t believe it would last. When Felicity became paralyzed, Robert pratically threw money at Oliver, so he wouldn’t marry her. But, he just didn’t understand the true meaning of loving a person unconditionally—no matter what. That’s why he never showed up to their wedding, and while she agreed on the internship, Robert wasn’t weaseling his way into her good graces.

            Felicity grimaced, “Is stubbornness a Queen family trait?”

            “Yes,” Oliver smiled, “C’mon, I can see my father getting into your head too much.”

            But, not in the positive way like Oliver assumed.

            She thought, “Three more days.”

            “I know,” Oliver commented as he opened the door for her, “Just three more days.”

            Frack! She _had_ said that out loud.

            “We’ll see,” Felicity insisted. She changed the subject, “So since you’re the master chef in the family, what did you make us for lunch?”

            “Chicken matzah ball soup,” Her husband responded. He knew that was one of her favorites.

            She fist pumped, “Yes.”

            It wasn’t just any chicken matzah ball soup. It was chicken matzah ball soup in a savory and sweet challah bread bowl. Her eyes lit up like her menorah during Hanukkah. Oliver’s cuteness couldn’t always be a guaranteed distraction, but his food sure was. They were starting to see eye to eye on Robert’s permanence at QC. However, like Felicity said in fairness Robert had three more days. They needed to see where this was going after this one week trial internship.

            After they finished eating, Oliver clutched Felicity’s hand in his, “Thank you for being on my side.”

            “No place I’d rather be,” Felicity reminded with a tighter grip on his hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone's wonder, the collage I used for this chapter are stills from this week's upcoming episode 412 "Unchained"


	4. Chapter 4

            Queen Consolidated’s Friday presentation deadline was fast approaching. The clock was about to strike five when Oliver and Felicity needed a moment. They were the only ones left in the office, apart from a few janitors and security guards, when it hit them. Together, they brought Queen Consolidated, their family company, back from the depths of bankruptcy hell.

            Felicity had to take it all in, and she found herself staring out into nothing, but the night sky until she heard the flush of toilet followed by running water.

            “Hon?” Oliver asked as he cleared his throat, so he wouldn’t startle Felicity, “You alright?”

            Felicity replied, “Yeah. I’ve just got a lot on mind right now.”

            “So, talk to me,” Her husband offered when he knelt down to her level. His thumb caressed her ring finger before she began to speak.

            She assured, “It’s nothing bad.”

            “Okay, but…” He prompted her to continue.

            “I was just thinking about where we started,” His wife recalled, “And, now we’re here.”

            Oliver and Felicity’s eyes skidded over to their wedding photo in a simple silver frame. Oliver wasn’t a guy with a lot of favorite moments, but if he had a list that kiss, along with Tommy’s birth would be at the very top. He picked his wife up out of her wheelchair, bridal style of course before they got into a sleek and classic black Porsche to make their way to the airport. Bali was just as beautiful as their wedding, but that wasn’t the special moment Felicity was thinking of at the time.

* * *

 

_Seven Years Ago_

            Her thoughts were drowning in a sea of code encryptions. Felicity bared her teeth down on a red pen cap when she heard a man clear his throat.

            Without, even looking up she announced, “Ray, honey, I’m almost done with that last line. Maybe when I’m done here we can grab dinner from a place that doesn’t have multiple food portions. Do that, and you may just get l…”

            “Felicity Smoak,” He introduced with a purposeful loud clear of his throat, “Hi, I’m Oliver Queen.”

            “Lots of food. I was going to say lots of food. Um…What can I do for you, Mr. Queen?” Felicity wondered.

            Oliver grimaced, “No, no, Mr. Queen is my father. Please call me Oliver.”

            Should she even help this guy? One of the Queens were probably going to be taking her boyfriend’s company away from him. Granted, Ray wanted to sign over the rights because he wanted to do some soul searching. But, she figured the company would be signed over to Oliver. After all, it was originally the Queens family company, so technically that made him her boss now, right?

            She smiled, and asked, “Well, what can I help you with Oliver?”

            “I was at Jitters, and I accidentally spilled a latte on my laptop. My father mentioned that you were would be the perfect person for the job, if you don’t mind. I really need to recover those files I need to sign electronically,” He explained sheepishly.

            This wasn’t the Oliver Queen she had heard so much about from other employees as well as the press. But, maybe that was Ollie Queen— a rich billionaire playboy, who never thought twice when it came to punching out annoying paparazzi. Yet, Oliver Queen was reserved, charming, sweet, and he had the bluest eyes. Wait, scratch that, she has a boyfriend.

            “So, you just spilled a latte on it, huh? Felicity inquired in disbelief, “Because the bottom of your laptop looks like a mosaic straight out of the Byzantine Empire?”

            His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Oliver’s cheeks flushed, and his dimples poked through when he admitted, “There may have be incident with my Ducati, the street, and my laptop. It was a hell of a merger.”

            She giggled at that, but quickly got back to the task at hand.

            “It will take some time, but I’m sure I can salvage your work,” She assured.

            He said as he left, “Thank you.”

            Towards the end of the day around five o’clock, Oliver’s laptop was left sitting atop his desk with a note attached to it written in cursive red pen.

            He read, “Here you go, Oliver. Please try to be more careful next time, although I know Starling City’s Jitters tend to be in bad neighborhoods. Let me know if you need any more help. –Felicity.”

            The day Felicity walked to her office, and atop her desk were a beautiful bouquet of one dozen red roses. She sniffed them under the assumption they were from Ray, but they weren’t.

            She read the card, “You’re remarkable, Felicity. Thank you again. –Oliver.”

            Later that same night, Felicity and Ray had broken up because he needed to rediscover who he was. Ray had been feeling that way ever since his first fiancé died. He just wasn’t finding what he needed in Starling City, so he ended getting in touch with his former professor from many moons ago, Professor Martin Stein. Before he left, Ray mentioned the paperwork she had signed without really reading now made her the CEO of Palmer Tech.

            It took a few weeks for Felicity to finally adjust to her position of power, but then Oliver came along. He started back at QC, well then Palmer Tech, much like Robert as an intern. His night job was helping his little sister Thea take care of his latest venture, a nightclub called Verdant.

On a Friday afternoon, Oliver spotted a familiar red mini Cooper. His greeting fell on deaf ears. Her heels clacked against the pavement as she was simply looking at the sign of Verdant. That was odd. No hello? Felicity was being uncharacteristically quiet.

            “Hey, hey,” Oliver greeted as he followed her into the building, “How was work?”

“It is _not_ work. It’s stressful, and I don’t know how my brain can deal with this much tension at twenty-two Sometimes I just…ugh!” She huffed. Felicity counted down from three, took a deep breath. Her shoulders dropped, and her eyebrows smoothed out, “Sorry, I had a lot to get off my chest, but it’s good to speak from the heart, you know.”

Felicity patted his left pec right over his heart while her heels hit the pavement again.

“Yeah,” he thought. “Felicity, would you like to go out to dinner with me?”

Suddenly her voice caught in her throat, and her tone shot up an octave.

Felicity quizzically wondered, “I don’t want to read too much into this, but are you asking me out on a date? Like an actual date? Like a _date-date_?”

“Well, I mean, the implication being with dinner…I mean, if you don’t want to, you’re you know you, my boss. And…” Oliver attempted to clarify.

She interrupted his babble, “Usually I’m the one talking in sentence fragments.”

“Would you like to go to dinner with me?” He repeated with a much stronger confident voice.

Her bright smile said it all, but of course Felicity responded, “Yes.”

That same Friday night, he had met with Felicity at an Italian restaurant. His eyes widened at the sight of her beauty. Felicity was absolutely stunning with these long loose blonde waves, red lips and a dress to match. She also had the brightest blue eyes. Oliver was staring so long at her so long it was like time had stopped for a few minutes.

They were both so nervous. Felicity had mentioned that she saw Oliver at the gym, and she liked watching him work out shirtless on the salmon ladder. Oliver had mentioned his four year son William since Oliver had to give him a call before his bedtime. Definitely not a first date topic, but Oliver was a little out of his element. It had been awhile because the last girl he went out with a year ago was Sara Lance. But, Felicity didn’t seem to mind. She already loved what a good dad Oliver was, considering the fact that her dad walked out on her and her mom when she was seven years old.

Over the next seven years, they endured their definite downs with the Queen’s Gambit sinking and Felicity’s paralysis. But, they were stronger for it, and they got through it together. They went on several more dates, started living together, got engaged twice, got married, and had Tommy.

* * *

 

_Present Day_

Felicity mentioned to Oliver all of what she was remembering.

“Is that your way of telling me you want lasagna for dinner?” Oliver prodded.

Felicity swatted his arm, and she smiled slightly as Oliver uttered a rather unconvincing “Ow!”

Felicity pointed out, “Honey, I’m being serious here.”

“So am I,” He said with a kiss to his wife’s frown.

“Well, you do make a spectacular lasagna,” His wife admitted, “Actually, it’s criminal how easily cooking came to you. I mean, cooking is essentially chemistry, why can’t I make a damn omelet?”

“You’re good at lots of other things. You know a ton about science, technology, history…” Oliver reminded.

“Okay, so I know a lot of stuff,” She replied.

Her husband continued, “You and Samantha are two of the best moms I know. You’re the best stepmom ever. You’re sweet, sexy, and just everything to me. You give me hope, and I couldn’t do this without you. Felicity, you’re the strongest person I know.”

All she said was, “Ditto.”

“Oh?:” Oliver practically scoffed, “All I get is ditto? That was a good speech.”

“That was a good speech,” Felicity reminded, “But, you should know I take my lead from you.”

Her head tilted up for another kiss.

“Felicity, what brought up all this on?” He questioned curiously after they broke apart.

“It’s just,” She hesitated, “Are we doing the right things with QC?”

Oliver accused, “What did my father say to you?”

“Nothing,” His wife insisted honestly, “We’ve got the weight of the company on our shoulders. And with this conference on Friday, I just worry that things won’t go our way.”

“Hey, we’ve been working on this new development with Curtis and Bruce for months.” Her husband promised, “We’ll be fine.”

They were driving home to pick up Tommy from Thea’s apartment when Felicity got a phone call from Curtis. There was a lot of chatter and buzz on the other line.

“Felicity, hi!” Curtis nearly yelled, “Robert, no! Don’t touch that.”

Felicity began, “Oliver.”

“I heard,” Oliver instructed, “Baby, call Thea, and tell her we’re running late please?”

            Felicity’s quick fingers dialed right away. When they got back to QC, Curtis’ lab was smoked out. It certainly wasn’t a tech related fire.

            “Son, that is why we don’t smoke.” Felicity informed sweetly hours later as she tried to get her mind off what is now known as the great Robert Queen smoke out of 2019.

            Tommy agreed, “Smoke bad mama.”

            “Thea fed him some mac and cheese with turkey hot dogs and b-r-o-c-c-o-l-I,” Her husband told her.

Felicity shushed Oliver while she covered Tommy’s ears.

It wasn’t the best parenting method, but they had to get him to eat his vegetables. For two and a half Tommy wasn’t all that picky. Except when it came to broccoli and cauliflower.

            She whispered sharply, “Hon.”

            “That’s why I spelled it, Felicity.” Oliver mentioned.

            Tommy was a smart toddler, but just look at his mother and his father. Felicity was an overqualified IT girl of a tech genius turned CEO. Oliver wasn’t as book smart, but he was street smart. He was a good judge of character, and he picked up on people’s true intentions pretty quickly. Thankfully, Tommy didn’t pay much attention to what his parents were saying in their recent conversation.

            Tommy asked with a yawn, “Story time, Dadda?”

            “We’ve got to get you in your PJs first, Buddy.” His dad informed.

            Tommy replied brightly. His tired blue eyes gleamed with an innocent hope. “ _Then_ story time?”

            _"_ _Then_ we have to brush your teeth, floss, and we’ll read you a story. Okay Tommy?” His mom continued.

            Tommy nodded, and the Queens went through their usual bedtime schedule. Tommy’s little fingers played with the zipper on his racecar pajamas. His teeth and gums were all clean, evidently by two huffs of fresh breath he just had to let his parents smell. Tommy picked up one of his favorite books about _Lightning McQueen_. Felicity and Oliver sandwiched Tommy in a Queen family cuddle as they read to him in his big boy bed. After the flip of the very last page, he was sleeping peacefully.

            Oliver whispered while he smoothed out his son’s blonde locks, “Night Tommy.”

            “Good night, my sweet boy,” Felicity said in hushed tone before she pressed a kiss to her son’s forehead and transferred back to her wheelchair.

            Felicity and Oliver left Tommy’s door slightly ajar before they got ready for bed themselves.

            As Oliver was sulking in bed and pulling on the string of his green hoodie, he grumbled, “I should expect nothing less from my father.”

            “It was just one of the T-Spheres that was damaged, Curtis has three other ones. It was lucky he managed to save his work in time.” Felicity tried.

            Oliver sighed. He knew she wasn’t exactly defending Robert, but his wife’s endearing optimism and ability to look on the bright side easily quelled Oliver’s anger. And, he really just wanted to feel mad right now. But, he also didn’t want to end up sleeping on the couch for a stupid argument, so he thought carefully before he spoke again.

            Oliver recalled, “He was smoking a cigar in a lab with expensive tech designs and very flammable chemicals.”

            Felicity’s eyes squeezed shut at the mere thought of their employees getting hurt and all that beautiful and costly tech being burnt down to the ground due to Robert’s stupidity.

            “Curtis still needs an extra set of hands to rebuild the fourth T-Sphere. And, he agreed to give your father another chance.” She bit her lip. She really didn’t want to do this, even when it came down to someone like Robert, “But.”

            Oliver pleaded hopefully, “Say it, Felicity.”

            “By Friday, we’ll both let him go,” His wife finished.

            He commented, “Then he’ll be out of our lives for good.”

            She nodded in agreement. They slid under the covers, and spooned comfortable into their typical sleep positions. Oliver managed to fall asleep first while Felicity’s mind kept racing. She reiterated over and over again that she never expect Oliver and Robert to resolve their issues. But, she didn’t expect it to be like this. Robert was a piece of work, to put that kindly. Things just weren’t working out with Robert, and maybe they never would.


	5. Chapter 5

            Felicity knew how much firing Robert would bug Oliver deep, deep down in his heart. Thursday evening was quiet, and the only sounds to break the silence were Oliver and Felicity brushing their teeth before bed.

            “Oliver?” Felicity asked, “You want to talk about it?”

            He grumbled, “There’s nothing to talk about, Felicity. My father’s a screw up, and we have to fire him.”

“But…” She prompted.

“Maybe a part of me thought my father really had changed.” Her husband sighed, “But he only cares about two things in life—himself and his money.”

His wife tried, “I’m sure that’s not entirely.”

“Felicity,” He pointed out, “Latte, yelling, and cigar.”

Felicity pursed her lips in disappointment because Oliver wasn’t wrong. All those incidents he just ticked off his list were Robert’s doing alone. She just wished the situation took a different turn. They ended the discussion with their usual kiss good night.

“Dadda OK, mama?” Tommy wondered early next morning as his parents were dropping off him to preschool.

Oliver’s tense behavior couldn’t blow past their two and a half year old. His brows were furrowed slightly, and his knuckles were turning white from gripping the steering wheel too tightly.

            “Tommy, Daddy’s fine.” Felicity replied, “Right, Honey.”

            “Mmmhmm, no worries, Buddy,” his father added.

            Tommy responded, “Angry face.”

            His mom cleared her throat, and diverted her son’s attention elsewhere, “Look, there’s Sara.”

            Tommy lit up like his mama’s menorah on Hanukkah.

            As soon as the car came to a stop Tommy greeted, “Hi Sara.”

            “Hi Tommy,” She replied.

            They walked into school together, and were met with John and Lyla, who were walking hand-in-hand.

            “Big day today?” John figured.

            Felicity muttered under her breath, “Fire o’clock.  


            “Hon,” Oliver sniped.

            She mouthed, “Sorry.”

            “He’s stubborn, and it needs to be done,” Oliver rationalized.

            John mused, “So stubbornness is a Queen family trait?”

            “Tell me about it,” Felicity agreed with a hint of a giggle.

            He warned, “Felicity.”

            “Good luck,” Lyla offered as Oliver and Felicity were making their way back to the car.

            While they were driving to Queen Consolidated, Felicity felt the pit in her stomach grow bigger and bigger. If she let her guilt and worry fester it would probably be as big as the peach from “James and the Giant Peach.”

            “Hey,” She inquired while she reached for her husband’s free hand across the dashboard, “You want me to give him the bad news.”

            “He’s _my_ father, so it’s _my_ responsibility,” Oliver reminded.

            Felicity corrected, “Our company, our responsibility.”

            “Thank you,” Her husband said.

            She quizzed, “For what?”

            “Supporting me through all this crap,” he answered.

            “Of course,” His wife smiled, “We’re a team.”

            Oliver and Felicity parked in their designated spot at Queen Consolidated. On the way, Felicity could see how nervous this firing situation made Oliver. He was twiddling his fingers, and randomly whispering, “Dad, you’re fired” in increasingly sharper tones. Despite his apprehension, he didn’t fail to notice his wife’s smile.

            “You look happy,” Oliver commented. “And you hate firing people.”

            “I know, I was just wondering if you were like this before you proposed to me,” Felicity thought.

            Her husband admitted, “The first time, the second time, and the third time.”

            “You only proposed to me on Hanukkah at tree lighting and a week later in the hospital,” she remembered.

            He told her, “It might’ve been three if Thea, Samantha, and Will hadn’t shown up at our door while we were vacationing in Ivy Town.”

            “That’s why you were so hell bent on whether or not I wanted to eat the soufflé you made that night,” Felicity figured with a quick snap of her fingers.

            Oliver responded with a pop of the p, “Yup.”

            The elevator doors slid open to reveal quite the surprise.

            “Oh my god,” Felicity gasped, “Dad?”

            “Dad?” Her husband repeated.

            Curtis and Robert were gagged and tied to chairs while Felicity’s father was attempting to grab the T-Bombs and Queen Consolidated’s newest rechargeable battery a power cell. Oliver managed to fend off Felicity’s father Noah.

            “We tried to fight him off as best we could,” Robert breathed.

            Curtis remembered, “Mr. Queen’s got one hell of a left hook.”

            Curtis and Robert were checked out by paramedics, and they were both given clean bills of health, despite some rope burns. Felicity’s teeth grazed her bottom lip. Her heart was an elevator ride down to her stomach. This wasn’t going to be pretty. Despite everything this had to be done.

            “Robert, can we see you in our office?” Felicity mustered up in a meek and quiet start.

Robert’s voice was stained with a deep, heavy remorseful regret when managed to answer, “Of course.”

“Dad,” Oliver began.

Robert interrupted, “I know, son. I’m fired.”

“Unbelievable,” His son responded with a grimace, “He can’t even let us do our job.”

“It isn’t about that,” Robert attempted to explain.

“Then, what is this about Robert. If you were even going to make an attempt to change your ways, why take an internship at QC?” Felicity asked curiously.

“We do what we do for family,” Robert answered simply.

Oliver accused, “Some family you are.”

“I understand that I’m by no means a great father or grandfather. But, you haven’t even given me a chance to try and make it up to you, Felicity, and the boys,” Robert pointed out.

Felicity could see an honest regret and hopefulness in Robert’s eyes. Robert was something else, and no he didn’t really raise Oliver and Thea. But, what kind of people would they be if they couldn’t even give Robert an inkling of a chance? They were both taught better by Raisa and Donna. And, what kind of example would she and Oliver be setting for William and Tommy—no matter how much Robert screwed up, the honorable choice to make was to at least try. Felicity breathed. No meals with the boys yet. Baby steps, but they could think of something else to do. Ooh frack! Please don’t let her regret this.

Felicity offered, “Would you like to grab a cup of coffee with us at Jitters, Robert?”

Oliver narrowed his eyes at his wife, but she shot back with a pleading glance.

“I’m sure he’s going to be busy finding another way back to Corto Maltese, Hon.” Oliver figured.

“Please for me,” She asked again as she pleaded with those big blue eyes of hers like a hurt puppy.

Oliver huffed, “Fine. Why don’t you just us, dad?”

“Alright then,” Robert replied, and he actually managed to crack a small smile.

Granted, this wasn’t some sort of after school special. They wouldn’t make a day or a week, but coffee was a start. It was a definite step in the right direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Major writers' block and a slight cold were to blame for killing my muse. Sorry this chapter's so short, but I've got an epilogue planned soon.


	6. Chapter 6

           

Felicity wished she could say that Oliver and Robert patched up their differences easily, but it just didn’t turn out that way, the way she secretly it would’ve been. As per usual, Robert was off once again venturing to Corto Maltese. At this point, Oliver didn’t really care because he had more important things in life to worry about like making sure Felicity didn’t burn the house down in an attempt a chicken frittata for their Sunday brunch.

            “Frack!” She yelled over the constant beep of the smoke detector.

            Tommy shouted, “Dadda! C’mere, hurry!”

            “I’ll get the fire extinguisher again,” William sighed, a bit disappointed that his and his father’s basketball game was interrupted.

            Felicity shut off the smoke detector with an app on her tablet while Oliver threw away what Felicity would like to call a well done Cajun chicken frittata and cracked the kitchen window. William spritzed the fire extinguisher and turned down the stove with ease. He had gotten used to this duty since Felicity has made several attempts to improve her culinary skills at least once a month.

            “Smoak, you definitely live up to your name, don’t you?” Oliver teased before he kissed the top of her head and literally pushed Felicity as far away from the stove as possible.

            Felicity reminded with a few pokes to her husband’s chest, “Hey, that’s Felicity Queen to you, mister.”

            “So, does that mean we’re ordering in before Mom, Nathan, Aunt T, Uncle Roy, Uncle Curtis, Uncle Paul, Aunt Lyla, Uncle John, and Sara get here?” William presumed.

            His dad informed, “No. I’m in the kitchen now. I can whip something up really quick.”

            “Yay! Dadda cooks good.” Tommy cheered with relief.

            His mom prompted with her hands on her hips, “Hey, what about mama?”

            “Um…” Tommy thought with a laugh. He looked back at his dad and big brother in hopes he find the right words.

            When his daddy has angry face it was easy for his mama, Will, and him to get a smile out of him. But, when his mama has angry face that was never a good day in the Queen household.

            “Pretty mama,” Tommy managed to finally muster up after he noticed that Will made hand gestures pointing out a smile and glasses.

            She mused as it was trailed by a giggle, “You are your father’s son.”

            “Actually, I gave him that one.” Will admitted with pride.

            Oliver warned with a clear of his throat, “Son.”

            “Right,” William suggested, “C’mon Tommy, we can race Lightning McQueen and Mater.”

            “Okay,” Tommy replied, emphasized with a happy nod before they walked over to Tommy’s toy box.

            When the boys headed towards the driveway, Felicity adamantly believed, “I almost had that, you know.”

            “Of course, Hon. But, we all have our strengths and weaknesses,” Oliver appeased.

            His wife surmised, “And cooking isn’t mine. Is that what you’re trying to say?”

            “Well…” He uttered as the hesitancy in his voice was apparent, evident by his higher pitch.

            She moaned slightly in defeat, “I guess I won’t be making cookies with her.”

            Oliver broke away from whisking the eggs as he knelt down to Felicity’s level. Their hands quilted together over her belly. She wasn’t really showing yet, but at the end of her first trimester, there was a softer, slight pudginess to her belly.

            “We don’t find out the gender for another four weeks,” Her husband reminded with a soft smile.

            “I just have a feeling.” Felicity winked at him.

            Oliver emitted a breathy, quiet laugh. Felicity loved science, and was a firm believer in its greatness. But, she also believed there was something to be said in support of faith—whether that be her Jewish heritage or her women’s and mother’s intuition. And, Oliver certainly knew better than to question his wife,

            A couple of hours later, Felicity felt a familiar pair of lips pepper kisses from the top of her head down to just by that sweet spot her neck.

            Oliver whispered, “Hey Felicity.”

            “Mmm…Oliver, not now.” She moaned groggily, “I’m too tired.”

            “The family’s going to be over for brunch in less than a half hour,” He reminded.

            Suddenly she felt more alert, “Right. I’m up. I’m up.”

            Felicity tiredly sat up, and Oliver responded by gently lifting her in her wheelchair. She wheeled to her chairlift and got upstairs so quickly if Oliver hadn’t known any better he’d think the house was on fire. Oliver joined her upstairs mere minutes after he heard the high-pitched beep of her chair lift. Oliver threw on a white t-shirt and jeans with a nice black pea coat, and Felicity slipped on a green dress with color coordinated heels.

            “Boys, do you have your t-shirts?” Their dad called out from his room.

            Tommy answered with a pop of the p while he lifted up his blue polo, “Yup.”

            “Me too, I’m good.” Will assured as he was buttoning the last few buttons of his blue dress shirt.

            Around ten o’clock, all their guests had arrived. Oliver prepared a family style chicken frittata, a big stack of silver dollar pumpkin pancakes, turkey bacon, and a warm kale salad. Felicity was on cup, ice, and drink duty.

            Felicity asked, “Who wants more mimosas?”

            “Here,” Thea said after she grabbed the champagne bottle out of her sister-in-law’s hand, “You forgot to make one for yourself.”

            She refused with a shake of her head, “I’m fine. I’ve got orange pineapple juice.”

            Lyla and Samantha shot quick glances and smiles at each other. They were both mothers. They knew. They had to know, although it wasn’t like Felicity had some big lit, flashy sign over her that read, “Hey, I’m pregnant again!”

            “Felicity,” Lyla began to inquire in between bites of her pumpkin pancake.

            Samantha peered knowingly over her champagne flute before she was about to take a sip, she questioned, “Is there some news you and Oliver have to share with all of us?”

            “What?” Thea realized, “Oh my god.”

            Oliver muttered “geez” under his breath, and with a snap of his fingers he ordered, “Ready boys?”

            William unbuttoned his shirt to reveal his “Big Brother #1” and Tommy threw off his loose polo like it was one of those itchy bow ties his mother made him wear to temple. It read, “Big Brother #2”

            “We _knew_ it,” Samantha and Lyla said in unison.

            “Congrats, man.” John told Oliver, and as he hugged Felicity he remarked, “You look beautiful mama.”

            Felicity responded with a thank you. During their brunch Thea mentioned a friend of hers from high school, Alex Davis, was looking for a paid internship. So, of course, Thea directed towards Queen Consolidated—the family business. After everyone left later that afternoon while Tommy was down for the count in his big boy bed, Oliver and Felicity scanned through Alex’s resume.

            She sighed, “This guy looks perfect on paper for QC.”

            “But,” Her husband prompted as his ears were keen on the disappointment in her voice.

            Felicity grumbled, “It’s nothing.”

            “Felicity,” he tried. “It’s _not_ nothing. The truth, please?”

            “You know what I meant by that, Oliver,” his wife insisted.

            “What?” He retorted, “He’s not my father. That’s a great thing.”

            Felicity relented, “We’ll call Alex in for a meeting for Wednesday morning.”

            When Wednesday rolled around, Felicity and Oliver hired Alex right then and there. He was now Queen Consolidated’s most overqualified paid intern at the IT tech department. Alex was a huge help to Curtis and the rest of the brain trust with the combined efforts of QC and Wayne Enterprises. Despite his recent lack of funds, Robert managed to spend the next six months island hopping from Hawaii to the Bahamas. He made few to little efforts to keep in touch with Oliver, Felicity, and the kids.

            Then on a cold day in January 2020, Robert was checking the stocks on his laptop when he received a rare email from his son. Felicity had her head titled up toward Oliver for a tender kiss as she held their newborn daughter. Thea, William, and Tommy were too busy being deliriously happy cooing over the newest little Queen princess as they all surrounded Felicity’s beside. Samantha was an excellent photographer, so she snapped the family photo, and sent it to Robert through Oliver’s open e-mail. The caption read, “Amelia ‘Mia’ Artemis Queen, your new granddaughter,

            Robert could barely say anything. Two tears seeped into the lines around his eyes, and he looked up said thank you, and “Good for you, son. Good for you.”

            Robert made a lot of mistakes that he seriously regretted throughout his life. The relationship with Oliver and Thea wasn’t repairable, but the one thing he carried with in the dying days of his bachelor lifestyle was pride. His son was successful, yes. But, more importantly Oliver was a loving husband, devoted dad, and a good person. For that, Robert had the utmost respect and pride for his son.

            A year after Mia was born, Felicity was finally able to slip back into that green dress. Oliver squatted down, and Felicity’s hands found her husband’s as usual.

            When Felicity squeezed his hands tighter she asked simply, “What?”

            “I’m happy,” Oliver smiled.

            She grinned since Oliver’s happy expression was clear. If emojis existed outside the digital realm, Oliver’s face would be described as a definite example of heart eyes.

            She told him, “I love you,”

            “I love you, too” he continued before he kissed her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The photo used is from this week episode 413 "Sins of the Father".


End file.
